One Ranger, One Outlaw
by bladewielder05
Summary: Will receives a new apprentice just in time. Oh, did I mention that the apprentice is a girl? A new group decides to terrorize Araluen and has a chance to start a World War. The new ranger apprentice must stop them but she needs the help of an old friend.
1. Chapter 1

Me: And I haven't done one of these in a long time! Helro, everyone.

Will: Did he just say 'helro'?

Halt: He did.

Me: And what's the matter with helro?

Horace: Isn't it 'hello'?

Me: And?

Gilan: Blade does not own Ranger's Apprentice, no matter how many times he went to Australia to kill John Flanagan.

Me: Liar!

Will: You did!

Me: You guys are all blind! It was a stinking water gun!

Halt: Please read and review before Blade uses a 'water' gun to track you down and kill you.

Horace: And this story is a sequel to 'Reunions' and is dedicated to a Fanficition writer who goes by the name of **Ranger Sage**. Blade sends his thanks for liking his story so much, **Sage.**

Will: Blade has a girlfriend!

Me: I do not! *gets out 'water' gun*

Will: *scream*

* * *

><p>A Girl in Our Mist<p>

Castle Redmont was being lazy in the afternoon when I crept into the kitchen. Master Jenny wasn't in the kitchen right now so I figure I was safe. I slipped past through the hall until I got to the locked doors of the kitchen. I could just taste those famous pies now! I reached into my pocket and took out a silver key. I placed it into the lock and gave a little twist. The lock snapped open and I sneaked in. Before me was the kitchen, the huge empty kitchen. Using my nose, I followed the delicious smell of pie cooling on the window sill. My mouth watering, I was about to take a bite when a voice stopped me.

…

"Sage Necromancer!" Chubb stared at the slightly built youth before her. She had messy brown hair and mischievous green eyes.

"Master Chubb!" the girl was startled. Chubb frowned.

"I thought you were looking quite suspicious. What are you doing here?" the chef had a pretty shrewd idea why. Sage hesitated.

_Should I lie?_

"I…couldn't resist the smell of pie, sir. I just had to get a bite." Chubb nodded.

"I thought so," he frowned. He walked over to the girl. Perspiration was on her forehead. With a flick of his wrist, Chubb's wooden ladle cracked over the girl's head.

…

"Nice try, Sage," Isaac teased. Sage glared at the bigger boy and unconsciously rubbed her head.

"I bet you wouldn't get past him," Sage countered. Isaac frowned. In these situations, he better stayed quiet. Sage was known to be verbal wise. Vanessa shook her head.

"You should have never done that, Sage. Choosing day is tomorrow and you just set off one of the Caftmasters!" Vanessa had short blonde hair and brown eyes. She was always jumpy and didn't like to get into trouble.

"She's right," Floyd nodded. "Even if you aren't applying to her, it could still get you into a bad position. The round boy was applying to Chubb for his choice. Sage shook her head. They always seemed to be going against her. She went out of their room, just in time to bump into a person. She fell with a thud, but the man didn't seem to budge.

"Sorry," Sage looked up, only to see a green cloak. She gasped, knowing that she had just bumped into a ranger. The ranger cocked his head to one side. He held out a hand and helped her up. Then he walked silently down the hall. Sage shook her head at the silent movement. Then she went to her sanctuary outside.

…

"Have you seen Sage?" a boy popped his head into the door of the room.

"She just left, Edgar," Floyd answered. The tall boy frowned.

"Where?"

"Don't know. She was pretty irritated at us," Isaac laughed. Edgar raised an eyebrow and the other boy silenced.

"Try the MotherRed. Sage likes going there a lot," Vanessa suggested. MotherRed was a tall redwood outside.

Edgar nodded, "Thanks Vanessa." He left the room.

…

"Hi, Sage," Edgar smiled at the girl in the tree. The girl smiled back.

"Hey, Edgar. What to go up?"

The boy shook his head, "I'm not big on heights." Sage considered this and slid from the tree. "Excited on Choosing Day tomorrow?"

"Maybe."

"Why?"

"I set off one of the craftmasters."

"Did you try to steal another cake from Master Chubb?" Edgar hid a smile. Sage nodded, unconsciously rubbing her sore head. "Don't worry about that. I'm sure you would be accepted in scribe school."

"Thanks, Edgar. Let's go inside."

…

"DO NOT PUT ME IN A BAD MOOD, TREATY!" the sound seemed to shatter the peaceful silence of the castle. Sage was shocked that the voice belonged to Baron Arald. She decided to creep up to see why he was so angry. Edgar had gone back to his room. As she got closer to the door of the Baron's study, a new voice spoke up.

"I know you're in a foul mood right now, but His Majesty needs you."

"I think I'm staying out of this," said another voice.

"Will, don't go anywhere."

"Look, Valor. Baron Arald is busy right now. Let's come tomorrow."

"Tomorrow's Choosing Day, Will. I'm busy that day, too," said the Baron.

"We're getting nowhere!" yelled the one called Valor. "I'll just send His Majesty a message that you can't be there."

"Really, Valor! Why couldn't you do that before?"

"I wanted to see if I could persuade the Baron," Valor sounded amused. Footsteps got close to the door. Before Sage could move, the door swung open and someone bumped into her. Again she fell to the floor with a thud.

"Again?" she whispered. She looked up to see two cloaked rangers staring at her.

"I remember you. You're that girl I bumped into before," said the taller one.

"Sage! What are you doing here?" the Baron appeared at the door. At the sight of him, Sage quickly straightened out.

"Sorry, my lord! I just heard you shouting and I got curious," she said. The two rangers exchanged a glance.

"In other words, eavesdropping?" the shorter one asked. Wordlessly, Sage nodded.

The Baron grinned, "The king just invited me to a banquet, but I can't go. Preparations for Choosing Day tomorrow." The girl was aghast. The baron was furious at the ranger just because the king invited him to a _banquet? _"You should go back to your room, Sage." Sage nodded and quickly ran back to her room. She realized that she bumped into Ranger Valor Treaty, brother of Will Treaty. She shivered, remembering the history lesson. Valor turned over to Roy's side for the war. Then something happened (the teacher didn't know) that made Valor come back on King Duncan's side. Sage sighed and fell on her bed, waiting for dinner.

…

"Sage, please don't steal any food," Vanessa said. Sage rolled her eyes.

"Why would I steal? It's for free."

"Like Master Chubb's pies?" Isaac snickered. Sage said nothing. She contented herself by glaring at the boy. Isaac, wisely, continued eating.

"Can we please just have some time to eat in peace?" Floyd said. Sage shrugged and went back to eating. The rest of the evening was quiet until dessert was passed out.

"Give it up, Sage! You won't be in Scribe School!" Isaac grinned. Sage glared at him.

"And why not?"

"I've seen your work. Not exactly neat. And I thought you sorcerers could do better!"

"I am not a sorcerer," Sage answered. Isaac knew he scored a point. Sage couldn't stand being called a sorcerer.

"Isaac, I think you should stop," Edgar said.

"She's a sorcerer. She can make me stop. Make me stop teasing you! Come on!" he taunted.

"I…am…not…a…sorcerer!" Sage gritted her teeth.

"Sorcerer! Sorcerer! Sorcerer!" Isaac kept up the name.

"Isaac, you should really-" before Edgar could say "stop", Sage shot out of her seat and jumped the boy. She knocked the bigger boy down from his seat and onto the floor.

"Take that back!" she yelled. "Take that all back!" Isaac was too surprised. Then a barn owl flew in. It perched itself on Sage's shoulder, flapping its wings. It looked at Isaac, then at Sage, then back. It made a hoot, stopping Sage from her assault. Seeing his chance, Isaac pushed the girl away and stood up. Sage glared at him, then walked away, owl still on her shoulder.

"I warned you," Edgar said.

"And I told you, she's a sorcerer. Nobody tames owls," Isaac said.

…

"Why did you stop me, Blizzard?" Sage asked the owl. They were outside the castle on the branches of MotherRed. A cool breeze rustled the tree, making the leaves fall. Blizzard cocked her head. She was a fine owl, face a deep white, eyes midnight black, feathers pale blue instead of brown. Sage had found the owl as a fallen chick being harassed by a kitchen staff's cat. She had rescued it and raised it.

"You were getting out of hand," she finally replied. Sage groaned and fell back on the branch. More leaves rustle from the tree.

"Blizzard, do you think I'm a black sorcerer?"

"Should I?"

"Well, I can understand you, and there were some weird things that happen in the castle when I came here."

"Like what?"

"Well…Isaac seemed to shut up once when he was teasing me…Vanessa spilled ink on her paper when I was sitting next to her…Floyd got the ingredients wrong and made bad cakes when I was helping him…and Edgar was mad that he lost his pencil."

"Maybe you said something that Isaac would shut up at, Vanessa and Floyd were being careless, and Edgar lost his only pencil."

"No, Blizzard. No one could shut Isaac up. Vanessa is too careful and Floyd double checks that he got the right ingredients. Edgar never gets angry over little things."

"That doesn't mean you're at fault," the owl left for a bit. Sage thought for a bit before Blizzard returned with a dead rat. Ever since Sage befriended Blizzard, there wasn't a single rat in Redmont's kitchen.

"Blizzard?" the owl tore off a piece of fur. Sage continued, "Can I be a ranger?"

"If you want to be," Blizzard's beak was red with blood.

"What kind of girl am I?" Sage asked.

"Let's just say that you're a special girl," Blizzard finished her dinner. Sage smiled at the owl.

"Thanks, Blizzard," she hugged the bird. "You know how to make me feel better."

"Anytime," Blizzard yarped a pellet.

* * *

><p>Will: Where's Valor?<p>

Me: In his room *smirks*

Halt: Are you crazy?

Me: I prefer the word, 'insane'. Has a nicer ring to it. I put the 'i' in 'insane', the 'fun' in 'funeral', and the 'laugh' in 'manslaughter'.

Horace: You're crazy!

Gilan: Or insane!

Me: Let's just all go to bed. You guys are probably tired with all the things those fanfiction writers mad eyou do (me being one of them). You have an even bigger day tomorrow...

Me: What I didn't tell them was that they can't fall asleep since there are fanfiction writers 24/7. So they are going to eventually find out in 3...2...1...

Halt: BLADE!

Me: Got to run!


	2. Chapter 2

Sage: Hey, readers! Welcome to Blade's story...again!

Blade: And Will's getting shot by a 'water' gun while Crowley is thinking about equiping Rangers with such a deadly weapon, *dramatic drumroll* the 'Water' Gun 2000!

Me: Hey! You're not even introdued yet! Get the hell out!

Blade: You didn't introduce me yet? *runs off crying*

Valor: What the Hell did you do to my apprentice!

Me: You just ruined the story!

Valor: Uh...ignore me.

Sage: Sorry about the interruption. Blade does not own Ranger's Apprentice and he is sorry to the offended ones who thought the real Blade did try to kill Flanny...he didn't.

Me: Duh...

Sage: Anywho, this story is dedicated not to me, but **Ranger Sage.** Bladewielder05 also thanks you for reviewing chapter 1 of this wonderful story.

Will: I'm sorry I thought that you and Bladewielder05 were dating, **Ranger Sage**.

Sage: No, you're not! *gets out 'Water' Gun 2000*

* * *

><p>Choosing Day<p>

"Stand up straight! Come on now!" Martin yelled. The five wards looked at the secretary. Sage wondered why he always used a loud voice. It's not like they can't hear him. "Line up! Tallest to shortest!" the secretary yelled. Isaac went first, then Edgar, then Floyd. Sage looked at Vanessa curiously. The girl just smiled and made space for Sage to fill in. Sage was about to go when a voice stopped her. "You're shorter than her! You!" Martin pointed to Vanessa. "Move into your place!" Vanessa shrugged and scooted over. Sage followed, wishing her height wasn't so apparent. "Up straight! Up straight!"

"No need to yell, Martin," Baron Arald came through the door.

"My Lord!" Martin raised his hand in salute. Baron Arald raised his eyes to the heavens.

"You may call the Craftmasters in now. And please, Martin, don't yell at them." Martin nodded. He opened the door to where they were waiting and said in a low voice:

"The baron is ready to receive you." The Craftmasters walked in in no particular order. First was Battlemaster Rodney. Then came Master Chubb. Next was Scribemaster Nigel. Last came Lady Pauline. Sage watched the Craftmasters walk in. Then she felt someone was also present instead of just the baron and the others. Her eyes dart around and, unknowingly, met the gaze of Will Treaty. The ranger seemed to be examining her. Then he looked away. Sage shook her attention away from the ranger. "Who's first?" Martin yelled.

"Let's get the first in line," Baron Arald said. Martin nodded to Isaac. He stepped forward.

"Isaac Wilker, my Lord," he said.

"Do you have a preference?" the baron asked.

"Battle school, my Lord."

"Battlemaster?" Sir Rodney studied the youth. He seemed quite strong enough.

"Accepted, my Lord," Rodney said. Isaac breathed a sigh of relief and went back in line. Before Martin called out, Edgar stepped forward.

"Edgar Mayweather, my Lord. I would like to be a Courier," he said quietly.

"Are you sure?"

"All I know is that my grandparents, mother, and father were all Couriers. I feel the need to carry on the tradition."

"My Lady?"

Pauline nodded, "I've spoken to Edgar. I think he is better off a Courier than a Ranger." Baron Arald nodded. That was the answer he expected. Edgar bowed to Pauline and went back in line.

"Next?" Martin yelled. Floyd stepped forward.

"Floyd Dawnson, my Lord," he mumbled.

"Is there-?"

"Master Chubb, my Lord."

"Chubb?" the Baron looked at the cook. Chubb studied the boy.

"Maybe, maybe…what are you to do with a turkey pie?"

"…Keep it away from Sage?" he guessed. Sage blushed.

"True, how would you make it?" Floyd pondered this for a while. Then he went through all the steps and the ingredients. Sage was glad she didn't want to be a cook. It sounded so complicated!

"I'll take him, my Lord."

"Thank you!" Floyd breathed. The baron smiled at the boy.

"Quickly, now!" Martin yelled.

Vanessa stepped forward, "I'm Vanessa Hender, my Lord, and I would like to be in Scribe school."

"Scribemaster?"

"I've seen her works. She is accepted, my Lord," Nigel nodded. Vanessa had tears in her eyes when she stepped back.

"Last?" Martin glared at Sage. Some years ago, Sage had hid his papers and he got in trouble with the Baron. Sage quietly went forward, bowing to the Baron.

"Sage Necromancer, my Lord."

"Is there a place you seek?"

"…Ranger Corps, my Lord," she blurted. The baron frowned.

"Are you sure? You're not exactly a-"

"Boy," Sage was confused as the rest of the others. She didn't know why she wanted to be in the Ranger Corps. She wanted to be in Scribe School. What made her say Ranger Corps?

"She has potential to be a ranger," came a voice. The wards jumped.

"Will! Where were you?" so Baron Arald didn't know.

"Business."

"So Sage can become a Ranger?" Arald asked.

"I've seen her skills."

"How about it, Sage?" Arald looked at the girl. Sage studied the ranger. She wasn't sure she was exactly keen on being a ranger. Then again, there were rumors that she was a ranger in disguise, being that rangers were magicians and her name meant a lot of magic.

"Thank you, my Lord…"

"Good!" Baron Arald said happily. "All of you report to your Masters at 8 o'clock sharp." The wards nodded and Sage led them outside. As she went out the door, she bumped into someone. Once again she fell to the ground with a thud.

"Are you okay?" Edgar helped her up.

"I'm fine," she looked at the person she bumped into. It was Valor, again.

"Again?" the ranger asked. Sage nodded. The ranger shook his head and went into the baron's room. "Oh, Sage?" the girl looked at the ranger that was back outside. "Report to Will's cabin at 6 o'clock."

…

Sage studied the cabin of the ranger. It seemed quiet enough, considering it was far away from town and in a forest. She trudged with her belongings to the cabin. She hesitated at the front door. Finally Sage had the courage to knock.

"Come in," said a voice. Sage opened the door, wincing as the door creaked. She found herself in a comforting dining/kitchen. There was a pot of wildflowers near the window and two rooms. And there was Will sitting on one of the chairs. His cloak was on a hook. The cloak had concealed a lot about Will. He had a fresh young face, messy brown hair, and brown eyes. "Finished staring?" he asked.

"Oh! Sorry, sir," Sage said. He stood up. She noticed that he was smaller than average.

"Your room is right over there," Will pointed to one of the rooms. Sage nodded and went to place her things in her new room. As she went outside, she saw him making breakfast.

"Sir?" she heard him sigh. "Are rangers black sorcerers?"

"What makes you think that?"

"Well, normal folks can't see you…"

"Normal folks couldn't see you when you sneaked into Chubb's kitchen."

"Wait, how did you know?"

"I saw you," he looked her, eyebrow raised. She blushed.

"And what do rangers do, sir?" she asked.

"Rangers don't ask pointless questions!" she was taken back by his raised voice. He sighed, "Rangers, more importantly, ranger _apprentices_ do housework."

"Oh," she eyed a broom, took it, and started sweeping.

"Interesting," Will thought to himself.

…

Sage went into the room after gathering water and pouring it into the water barrel. It had taken her thirty trips to fill the barrel. She had spent her whole day doing chores: sweeping, cleaning the fireplace, scrubbing the pots and pans. She found her mentor sipping some coffee and reading some documents. He looked up as she entered the room.

"Finished?" she nodded. "Take a seat." He slid the documents across the table and faced his apprentice, "Do you know how the Ranger Corps was formed?" Sage nodded.

"King Herbert needed an intelligence force to keep the kingdom safe. So he organized the Ranger Corps," she answered. Will nodded approvingly.

"Good." Sage let go a sigh of relief. "Do you know anything else about the Ranger Corps?"

"Ranger Crowley and Ranger Halt helped reestablish the corps when it was disorganized?" she asked. Will raised an eyebrow.

"Are you asking me or telling me?"

"I'm telling you."

"Correct," Will said. Sage hesitated, then decided to ask the question:

"What skills did I have that enabled me to be in the Ranger Corps?"

"You could move quietly, you're inquisitive-"

"What does that mean?"

"You want to know answers and ask questions," Will answered. He stood up, "Time for you to learn how to cook."

…

As Sage washed the plates in the river, Will laid back in his chair. He always thought that an apprentice would be a lot of work. This one, however, seemed responsible enough. He sighed contently.

"You're one to talk," scoffed a voice. Will shot out of his seat. His sharp eyes scanned the area. Sage looked curiously at her mentor.

"Is something the matter?" she asked. Will shook his head.

"Nothing," he replied. The girl shrugged and continued to wash the plates. Will darted his eyes around. Where was the voice?

"Over here, stupid," the voice came again. Will glanced at the other chair. In it sat a Ranger.

"Damn you, Valor. Don't scare me like that," Will grumbled. Valor snorted.

"You're exactly like Roy," at the mention of his old friend's name, his face fell. Will looked at him sympathetically.

"Anyways…how's the girl?" Valor asked. Will shrugged.

"Thought she'll be more trouble. Turns out, she's pretty responsible."

"Unlike you."

"…Don't push it."

* * *

><p>Valor: Would you look at that, Will. Sage's smarter than you!<p>

Will: No, she isn't! *shoves chapter 3 in his brother's face*

Valor: *reading it* So what? Every apprentice makes that mistake.

Halt: I didn't.

Me: Riiiiiiiiiggggghhhhhtttttt, Halt.

Halt *death glare*

Me: Wanna fight? *takes out 'Water' Gun 3000*

Crowley: What the ****! How am I going to keep up with technology?

Gilan: Give it up while you're ahead.


End file.
